


Photograph

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-06
Updated: 2007-01-06
Packaged: 2019-05-31 10:32:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15117545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: On this beautiful night in early May his whole precarious balance might tip over from the weight of his self-righteousness.





	Photograph

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Sam sat in the back of the cab for a few moments, plotting out how he was going to do this. There were so many things happening right now and this just threw a monkey wrench in everything. The President’s poll numbers were better than expected; at least they could focus on that. On the other hand, they had not fully recovered from Mandy’s scathing analysis of them. There were speeches at Penn and a trip to Miami before the President started his town hall meeting tour for the spring and summer leading up to the midterm elections. 

The Bartlet Administration needed to get back on top and the Deputy needed to make sure he had nothing to do with their pitfalls. Then there was Tish. Sam was in a blossoming relationship with the most fantastic woman. Their time together was limited right now…both of their jobs required travel. She was back in town and Sam was going to hit her with this mess.

He took a deep breath, paid the driver and stepped out onto the street. Standing outside the Occidental Grill Sam didn’t know how to do this. On this beautiful night in early May, his whole precarious balance might tip over from the weight of his self-righteousness. With another deep breath and a shake of his head, he went into the restaurant. Tish was there waiting for him. A hostess showed him to the outside table where she sat, smoking a cigarette and enjoying a glass of white wine.

“Hi there.” He said.

Sam loved her smile. Her kiss was passionate but discreet as he sat across from her.

“You must have been busy.” She said. “I called a few times.”

“I know, and I'm sorry. This is going to be a long summer.”

“OK. Do you want something to drink?”

“Is it really OK that we don’t spend enough time together?” Sam asked.

“No, but that’s the way it is. Is something the matter?”

“I don’t like not seeing you as much as we should.”

“Should? That’s relative. We don’t have very much free time to begin with. What we do have we spend together. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Then tell me what's going on.” She sipped her wine.

“Nothing. OK, that’s a lie.”

“Why are you lying to me Sam? What's going on?”

This was already going downhill. He had to find someway to save it.

“How about we just eat? I'm hungry and I'm tired; I just want to look at you.”

Tish was skeptical but nodded. Sam was spending long nights at the White House and she knew he wasn’t getting enough sleep. So they studied the menu, ordered dinner and more wine, but didn’t talk much. Over garlic shrimp with linguini, Tish spoke about plans for the rest of the month. She and her family would be at Susan’s graduation one weekend and Sebastian’s the next. The McTiernans were then going on a ten-day family vacation to Hawaii. Tish’s parents would be spending most of the summer in St. Paul with Kimmy.

“She is going to stay with me for two weeks in August while at camp so we are excited about that. I made sure not to schedule any travel for that time.”

“What kind of camp?” Sam asked.

“It’s a camp for the arts. Drawing, painting, crafts, cooking, and dance. She had been going there for the past decade. Can I try some of that rosemary chicken?”

Sam pushed his plate closer and Tish sampled it. She smiled.

“That’s really good. When is the last time you had a decent meal?”

“I don’t know. It’s a little bit crazy right now Tish; I haven’t been keeping track.” Sam rubbed his eyes.

“Do you want to just get the check and go home? Your place is a quick walk from here.”

“That is a good idea.”

She nodded, flagging the waiter. She ordered two slices of chocolate mousse cake to go and asked for the check. Sam’s behavior was peculiar and that concerned her. He was definitely keeping something from her but Tish didn’t want to push. He had to wait until he was ready though a part of her knew she did not necessarily have the patience to wait him out. The walk home was quiet; Sam didn’t even hold her hand. He just looked solemn as he carried the cake in a to-go bag. Tish took a quick phone call from her friend Lynda about a gallery exhibit on Friday. She was doing a review on it for City Paper…her articles were getting excellent feedback from the public. Sam didn’t even know if he’d read a single one of them.

“I'm going to make coffee.” She said when they were inside.

“I need to change my clothes.”

Sam went straight back to his bedroom as Tish moved around the kitchen. She lit a cigarette before remembering Sam didn’t like her doing that in his condo. Taking a moment to think about it, Tish decided she didn’t give a damn at the moment.

“I'm smoking and I know you hate it but I am a bit stressed right now so you are going to have to overlook this minor infraction.”

She said all of that when she heard Sam come back into the room. He did not respond, coming up behind her and embracing her. They were both taking deep breaths; Sam rested his chin on her shoulder. Tish’s breath was shallow and Sam felt her body tremble against his.

“I did something really stupid.” He whispered. “Even though I didn’t mean to.”

“Please just tell me what’s happening.”

He turned her around to look at him, taking the cigarette and dropping it in the sink. There were tears brimming in her eyes and that broke his heart.

“My friend Laurie graduated from Georgetown the day before yesterday. She invited me to the ceremony and I was excited about going. I was told I could not attend because several of our adversaries, for lack of a better term, know about our relationship and her suspected occupation. So I bought her a briefcase and set it up with her friend to surprise her outside of her apartment later that night. We um, we shared a hug and kiss that was photographed and will possibly be in every newspaper in the country by the weekend.”

There was silence in the kitchen. Sam searched Tish’s brown eyes for something…hate, distress, sadness, anything.

“I wanted to tell you; I just didn’t know how. Honeybug…”

“Don’t keep things from me Sam.” She slapped his chest hard and the Deputy flinched. “You have turned something small into something monumental because you were not upfront with me. You cannot keep things from me.” she slapped him again and walked away.

“Tish, I'm so sorry. How could I tell you about this without it sounding shady, at best?”

“Oh and me seeing the picture in the Post, or my friends and family seeing it, was going to go over so much better Sam. You bought a present for a friend and you have nothing to be ashamed. Don’t you dare let anyone tell you that there is. But you cannot keep me in the dark about it. Are we understood?”

“It’s crystal clear.”

“Is there anything else you are not telling me? I don’t care how small you think it is.”

“No.” he shook his head. “I lost so much sleep over this. I don’t ever want you to be embarrassed by my actions. I don’t want to embarrass your father.”

“You could never embarrass me and my father can take care of himself. C’mere and give me a hug.”

Sam rushed to her embrace, the cinder block of his guilt and worry melting like snow. Tish held him tight to her and it made him feel better. They would face whatever the consequences of this picture were together.

“We definitely need coffee.” Tish said. She hid her tears from Sam as she poured two cups and joined him at the kitchen table.

“I never want to make you cry Tish.”

“I know Sparky. I'm fine I just thought…I was afraid.”

“Of what?”

“That we were getting ready to break up. God, I don’t want to lose you.”

“You are not going to lose me. I'm not leaving you.”

“You just seemed so upset by the lack of time we have together. When you wouldn’t talk to me about it I thought you couldn’t express your desire to move on.”

“I love you and it does hurt that I don’t see you enough. We’ll work on that, I promise.”

Sam took hold of her hand and kissed it. He kept kissing it until a beautiful smile crossed his girlfriend’s face.

“How is CJ going to save your butt on this one?” Tish asked, giving her coffee the usual sugar treatment.

“I'm not entirely sure. We had a bit of a falling out but I apologized. We have just been so busy with pertinent things. The Senior Staff as well as the President will stand by me if there is trouble. Laurie has no criminal record and I am sure some of the bigwigs she serviced are not going to rush to do tell all interviews just to squash the Deputy Communications Director. CJ thinks it’s a lead balloon…more problems for Laurie than for us.”

“How did anyone find out what she did for a living?”

“A person she thought was a friend took $50,000 to set up the picture and confirmed her occupation.”

“With no corroboration she can be made to look like a greedy liar.”

“She is.” Sam said through clenched teeth.

“Everything is going to be fine. Should I expect microphones in my face sometime in the future?”

“It’s a possibility. I feared they might even try to talk to your father. I'm sorry if I caused any trouble.”

“Stop apologizing. We will all get through this, I assure you.”

Those words were like magic to Sam. He needed her to get through this rough patch. How could she ever think he wanted to leave her? His desire was for more of her, not less.

“I guess you could use some good news.” She said.

“That’s an understatement.”

“My friend Ashley Williams offered me a job at Dexter’s party last night. She started a magazine a year ago and it’s going national in September. She asked me to be the art director.”

“Seriously? What kind of magazine?”

“A lifestyle magazine for African-American women. It’s like Essence, but edgier. I told her to give me a week…it is a big decision.”

“You'd be around more.” Sam said.

“You'd still work at the White House. I don’t want that to be the reason I choose it. it’s still a blank canvas though and that gives me the opportunity to put my touch on something seen by millions all over the country. That is what I'm thinking about.”

“I definitely agree. And you'd be around more.”

“Yes, I would.” Tish laughed. “It’s going to cut into my photography significantly and the hours will be brutal initially. We can talk about it more tomorrow.”

“OK.”

“Have you talked to Laurie?”

“What?”

“Have you talked to Laurie? Right now she needs to know her friend is behind her and she needs to be told this is not her fault.”

“She knows that. We spoke briefly.”

Tish nodded.

“Well, you better get some sleep Sparky…its back to the salt mines early in the morning.”

“Are you gonna join me?”

“Oh why the hell not?”

They went to the bedroom together, arms around each other, and Tish’s head on his shoulder. It had been a long day, a long couple of days. All Sam wanted was to hold her in his arms and drift off into peaceful dreams. Sam was shocked that she believed he didn’t want to be with her…how could she think something like that.

“I love you Tishy.”

“I love you too. Go to sleep.” She kissed him.

“And you're sure you're not mad at me?” he asked.

“Yeah. You're a good man Sam Seaborn and everything you have done since I've met you has proven it. Sweet dreams.”

“You too honeybug.”

***


End file.
